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Acoustic Guitar Feedback: How to Stop the Howl and Boom

An acoustic-electric guitar is a hollow box that vibrates easily, which is why it sounds good. Point a speaker at it, turn up, and that box picks its own sound back up and howls. That is feedback. It is the most common sound problem for worship players, open-mic players and anyone playing with a band.

Quick answer

Move so the speaker or monitor is not pointing at the soundhole, turn the stage volume down a little, and cut the boomy low-mids on the preamp or mixer. If your preamp has a phase switch, flip it and keep whichever setting howls less. If you still need more volume, a soundhole cover blocks the hole and is the cheapest hardware fix.

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Fixes that cost nothing

Positioning. Stand in front of or beside your amp or monitor, not with the soundhole facing it. Even a step or a quarter turn helps.
Less volume on stage. Feedback starts at a volume threshold. Let the main PA carry the room and keep your monitor as low as you can work with.
EQ. Acoustic feedback is usually a low, boomy howl. Cut the boomy bass and low-mids a little on the guitar's preamp, amp or mixer channel. A sound tech can find and notch the exact frequency.
Phase switch. Many acoustic preamps and amps have a phase switch. Flip it at performance volume and keep the setting that howls less.
Notch filter. If your preamp has a notch or "anti-feedback" control, sweep it slowly until the howl drops.

Hardware fixes

Soundhole cover. A rubber plug that fits the soundhole stops the top and air inside from reacting as freely. It cuts feedback a lot, but it also changes the guitar's acoustic tone, so take it out when you play without an amp.
Check the soundhole size first. Most covers fit a standard 4-inch round soundhole. Small-bodied and oval-hole guitars may need a different size.
Pickup type. Under-saddle piezo and soundhole magnetic pickups resist feedback better than internal microphones. If your system blends in a mic, turn the mic down for loud gigs.

When to ask for help

If feedback starts at low volume, ask the sound person or a tech to check the PA and monitor EQ. A badly set monitor can cause feedback no matter what you do with the guitar.

The cheapest hardware fix: a soundhole cover

D'Addario Screeching Halt Soundhole Cover (PW-SH-01)

Best for Players who need more stage volume from an acoustic-electric and have a standard 4-inch round soundhole

Soft rubber, no modification to the guitarFits most standard 4 in soundholes (per D'Addario)

Specs: D'Addario listing details, checked 2026-10-26.

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Product links checked Oct 2026 against each exact Amazon listing; Amazon shows the current price. See How we rate.

Sources checked Oct 26, 2026: D'Addario Screeching Halt product details; Fishman and L.R. Baggs owner guides on phase and notch controls.

FAQ

Why does my acoustic guitar feed back?

The hollow body picks up sound from a nearby speaker and amplifies it again in a loop. Speaker position, volume and boomy low frequencies are the usual causes.

Do soundhole covers stop feedback?

They reduce it a lot by stopping the body and air inside from reacting so freely. They change your unplugged tone, so remove the cover when you play acoustically.

What does the phase switch do on an acoustic preamp?

It flips the signal polarity. On stage, one setting often feeds back less. Try both at performance volume.

How do I stop acoustic guitar feedback in church?

Keep the monitor out of line with the soundhole, keep stage volume modest, cut a little bass and try a soundhole cover. Ask the sound tech to notch the feedback frequency on the mixer.

How this page was made: Andrew wrote this guide from makers' manuals and support pages, listed above. Each button opens the exact Amazon listing (checked 2026-10-26), and Amazon shows the current price. How we rate